Chokehold
by Caleigho
Summary: To breathe is to drown.


_Author's Note: This is the tentative beginning of a story I have had in mind for a while. As such, this is largely experimental, and being fleshed out into existence as I can work on it. And, it's just been too long since I've written a Seto and Yami fic._

Seto gave the the woman a warning glare as she glided forward to pin the microphone onto his lapel. It was a simple job that should have taken only a few seconds, and yet her hands were still lingering over his collar, and her eyes were glazed over with either too much adoration, or medication. He shifted away from her, keeping his coat wrapped close, and his expression as neutral as he could force himself to be.

Seto leaned back in the chair, trying not to jerk his shoulder out of her hands, fearing that it would look more like a flinch, and not revulsion. Her eyebrows quirked higher into her coiffed bangs, as she looked up at him, startled.

"Mr. Kaiba? Are you alright? Can I get you anything? " Her voice was breathy and soft, and Seto hated hearing it.

Before he could snarl at her, Yami smoothly intervened with a polite throat clearing, and a hand raised for attention.

"Excuse me, miss. My throat is dry, and I could use some water, if you please."

Yami gave the woman a well-practiced, good-mannered smile, and she scuttled out of the room with a quick, "Yes, sir, Mr. Moto!"

Yam waited until she was gone before he gave Seto a disapproving scowl.

"I hope that it's unnecessary to remind you that now is not the time for a tantrum, Kaiba."

Seto narrowed his eyes at Yami, and was about ready to spew an insult, but was cut off by her sudden return. She hastily presented them both with two bottled waters, with such awe and wonder that Seto was surprised she didn't curtsy.

Yami's scowl curled into another smile, and he accepted the bottle.

"Thank you very much, miss. This is very much appreciated." Yam gave Seto a pointed glare, and Seto exhaled a breath so heavy that his nostrils flared. Unwillingly, he accepted the bottle and held it between his fingers as if it were unclean.

"Thank you." He ground out, as the intern bobbed her head again and hastily exited.

Seto heard Yami's sigh of disgust as he shook his head. "Do you think that you could go through one interview without being such a pompous ass, Kaiba?" Seto leveled a glare at Yami's head, and hissed, "As opposed to being just an ass, Yami? " Yami's lips quirked into a mildly amused smirk. "That was a very clever retort. We've only got a few minutes left, so it's good that you're spewing your usual venom. I'd hate for you to choke to death on it."

"Relax, Moto. I promise you that there is more than enough to go around." Seto snapped, as he jerked his collar higher.

Yami watched the abrupt motion with no attempt to conceal either his stare, or his curiosity at Seto's weirdly aggitated state. He was used to Kaiba's foul mood, constant jabs, and general prissiness, but the billionaire usually held himself together with some resemblance of poise.

Not today.

Instead of draping himself regally into the leather chair, and drumming his fingers with the usual scowl, Seto kept both arms rigidly folded across his chest, and he was hunched over, with his eyes shut. Yami raised an eyebrow, and airily quipped, "Are you having a bout of nerves, Seto? I would think that it would do wonders for your ego to see your face broadcast worldwide."

Seto didn't answer, except to shift further into the seat, and tug his already massive coat closer to his sides. With a grunt, he straightened himself, exhaling sharply, his face contorting into a wince that he quickly concealed with the more familiar Kaiba sneer. Yami couldn't tell if the flicker of pain across Seto's face was a trick of the lights, or even if it had happened at all. Seto stiffened at Yami's questioning gaze, and said, curtly, "Quit staring at me."

Yami had no intention of obeying the order, especially after the weird, long silence that should have been filled with Seto growling out at least one insult. Seto was oddly quiet, seeming to be preoccupied with an intense study of his hands that he kept clasped together over his ribs.

Yami's curiosity was soon mingled with a bit of obligated concern when Seto winced again, with a sharp, nearly silent gasp."Kaiba? Are you alright?" Seto didn't answer, except to give Yami a curled lip and one finger raised, before Seto clamped it back to his side. Yami recoiled at the gesture, and sat back in his seat, seething.

"Why can't you just shut up and leave me _alone?"_ Seto whispered, the last word oddly high-pitched and breaking. Seto heaved, and hunched again, until he saw Yami's worried, searching eyes studying his face and then his clenched, white knuckled if sensing his own mistake, Seto straightened back up, pulling himself upright with an effort , concealing every trace of weakness by the heavy coat literally falling like a curtain. Yami watched as he carefully rearranged his posture, his clothing, and facial features into a mask of placid indifference, with a good touch of Seto's usual snobbery. It was almost like watching somebody putting on pieces of armor.

"Just leave me alone." Seto nearly growled the warning, as he closed his eyes, drew some steadying breaths, and ignored Yami after the announcement was made that they only had a minute or two left before the camerals were rolling.

Yami watched Kaiba's display, unnerved now.

It _was_ a display, because Yami could read Kaiba too well to be fooled by the blistering words, or the peevish attempts to deflect his attention. Normally, being pissed off and irritable was what Yami considered to be the default state of Kaiba, and today, he was acting accordingly. It was as natural as water being wet, or the sky being raised his chin, thrust his shoulders back, and hissed in unmistakable pain as his hand instinctively flew to his side and the fingers buried themselves deep into the folds of the heavy material.

Yami bolted out of his chair towards Seto, and was only halted by Seto suddenly wrenching around and looking like a cobra ready to strike.

"I'm warning you for the last time, Yami. _Leave me alone."_ Seto's voice was low, soft, and laced with the unspoken threat. Before Yami could answer, a member of the crew came bustling through the stage, completely oblivious to Seto's murderous look, and Yami's shock.

"Mr. Kaiba, and Mr. Moto, are you ready? We're going live in just a few."

Seto shot Yami a threatening glance before he shrugged, irritably, and said, "Let's just get this over with. You have already taken up too much of my time."

To be continued?


End file.
